Happy Roald Dahl Day!

       

          Greetings again, blogging world! My return to blogging comes as a desire to share a little bit of joy from my life. I am currently teaching English 10 and 11 at Payson High School, and every day I have my students write in their Writer's Notebooks. I try to find a variety of prompts, with different focuses and topics. I found out on Friday morning that it was Roald Dahl Day, since Dahl was born on September 13, 1916. I decided we had to celebrate in my class!        

           But then the task got tricky. Which one of his amazing books should I choose to talk about with my students? How could I chose? There are so many amazing options: Matilda, The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,Boy, James and the Peach....the list goes on and on. It felt like an impossible task to only focus on one! So, we instead had a small discussion about all of his books and the resulting film adaptations. I then read them my favorite chapter from Boy, entitled "Chocolates." It tells the story of how he got the idea for Willy Wonka's magical factory. I then had them write about what they would do if they could live in a chocolate/candy factory for a day. When they finished, I told them about my first trip to Cadbury World. (See my post My Obsession with British Chocolate for more information) We ended our tribute to Roald Dahl by watching "Pure Imagination" from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. If you would like to watch it is as well, I have posted it. Trust me, it's worth watching again and again.

         Although the day will have passed, I will still celebrate with my students on Monday who have not had this lesson yet. I believe Roald Dahl should be celebrated. He was a genius. Take some time, and listen to the interviews with him on the website dedicated to his work: Roald Dahl. He openly talks about the painstaking work of writing. He also discusses his greatest inspiration: his own children. I love this man dearly. Boy is one of my all-time favorite novels. I still love The BFG. And if I could live in Willy Wonka's factory, I would.

Two last gems for my readers, from my students:

• I have a door in my classroom that connects to the Copy Center, and there is constant whirring coming from behind the door. One of my students, to get a laugh, asked if it was my Chokey. The next time he made a smart comment, I laughed and just reminded of the now infamous Chokey. The whole class thought it was a grand joke.
• Another student made my day when she said that I reminded her of Miss Honey. I said, "Thanks! That's a nice thing to say." And she replied, "No, I mean it. You even look like her." It was a tiny teacher dream come true. It has also inspired my Halloween costume. Anyone have overalls I could borrow?

Please share with me your favorite Roald Dahl memories. I would love to hear them. And that's the musing of a marvelous me!

Galentine's Day

I know this a little late in coming, but a trip to NYC and now a cold have kept its publication in the wings. So, now, I am pleased to present a post about Galentine's Day:

For those of you who are not Parks and Recreation viewers, Galentine's Day is best explained by the illustrious Leslie Knope:  "Galentine's Day is a banquet to celebrate my ladyfriends, independent of any relationships they may or may not be in. It's a fun self-esteem builder for you and your ladyfriends." This marvelous celebration occurs on February 13, and it really should be a national holiday. As soon as I saw the episode about Galentine's Day last year, I began planning my Galentine's Day party. I was thrilled when I got a great response from my friends, and I hosted a dinner party on February 13. We ate waffles, played mad libs, told stories, and celebrated one another. It was a wonderful self-esteem boost, and I am so thrilled it was a success. I plan on making it a tradition. 

Making gift bags for the guests

Before the Party

The Final Result

Good thing we don't take ourselves too seriously!

Old friends reunited

Chatting it up

Thank you to everyone who came to Galetine's Day! It was wonderful to celebrate our friendships together. I encourage my followers to start their own Galentine's Day tradition. Follow this link- Galentine's Day Planning Tips- to get great tips from Leslie Knope herself. It could end up being a yearly tradition for you, too. And that is the musing of a marvelous me! :)

A Valentine's Poem for You

In honor of Galentine's Day yesterday (blog post with pictures to come!) and Valentine's Day today, I thought I would simply share a favorite poem with you. It's more serious than fun, but it stuck with me today.


Heart! We will forget him!
You and I—tonight!
You may forget the warmth he gave—
I will forget the light!

When you have done, pray tell me
That I may straight begin!
Haste! lest while you're lagging
I remember him! 

Emily Dickinson 

Vocal Valentines

         As a preface, I tend to get really excited about holidays way too early. I believe Christmas music has an exciting ring in October, I have a strong craving for Cadbury Easter eggs in February, and I start thinking of Red, White, and Blue in June. So, you will have to indulge my excitement and love for Valentine's Day.

        I know that Valentine's Day is just a Hallmark Holiday. I know the true origins of my sickly sweet holiday. But I love it anyways. I attribute my dedication to this holiday to Vocal Valentines, a grand tradition at my high school. Every February 14th, you could buy your special someone, friend, or secret crush a valentine to be sung to them in the class of your choice. Members of the choir would be excused from their classes to go around the school and perform the purchased songs. The serenade would include a personalized note, a chocolate, and sometimes even a rose. I was in way too many choirs for my own good, and so the day was magical. Armed with good friends and a pitch pipe, I would get to visit classrooms all over the school, sing to an unexpected student, and bask in the joy of Valentine's Day. I would get all dressed up, pass out those third grade valentines to all of my friends, and walk with a spring in my step. It was the absolute best of the day of the school year. The video above is Eartha Kitt singing one of my favorite songs we would sing.

            My true personal enjoyment from the day came from making other people smile with a song or a card, but I must admit: I loved that moment when someone came in, and everyone waited with baited breath, hoping it was them. Being the recipient was something special: You were Glen Coco for the day. No one wanted to be Gretchen Wieners. I was Glen Coco a couple of times, and it was magical. Have you noticed that I really, really loved Vocal Valentines?

            So, this year, I miss Vocal Valentines. I am nostalgic for that happy, hope-filled day. So, I am going to start a couple of traditions of my own. I will host a Galentine's Day party, and I will spend Valentine's Day with nothing but happiness and hope. And that is the musing of a marvelous me. :)

           What will you be doing for Valentine's Day? What are some of your favorite Valentine's Day memories? Please comment and share below.

Ocean Waves

As with many of my blog topics, this may not be the most original idea you have ever heard. But I am going to try to give it my spin, and I hope it resonates with you like it does for me.

I love the sound of ocean waves. I love the crash and fall, I love their comforting consistency, and I love the ripples that they make. I sat out on the beach the other day with my sister, and I recalled memories of waves and the way to predict them. Short answer is: I can't. I always try to predict how far up they will come. I place my toes solid in the sand and wait for the water to wash over me. The water then comes just a little too short. So then I move in a lot closer, and it gets all of my feet and ankles wet. Rarely do I time it just right, so the water brushes across my toes and makes me smile. 

Then there are my escapades boogie boarding. I often found myself knocked over at the knees by an unexpected crash. Or I would stand in shallow water, disappointed that I was not more soaked. I simply cannot seem to find the perfect timing for the waves. Maybe this means I need to spend more time in the ocean, for research and such. I would gladly make that sacrifice. Or maybe, as I hope you understand, the waves are simply unpredictable. Like the weather or the fashion choices of Lady Gaga, they are hard to precisely determine. The wandering beach-goer, like myself, simply has to take her chances with the water.

Now, I hope you know where I am going with this. Every day is like a wave. You think you have it figured out, and then suddenly, it crashes in an unexpected way. My man JGL best explained it in 500 Days of Summer :

You think you have your day figured out. You wake up with a plan, and then it suddenly goes an entirely different path. Expectations v. Reality. We have to learn to be alright even though life does not fit our expectations. Reality can sometimes bite. But that is o.k. No person can exactly predict the future. We are all just wandering beach-goers, trying to figure out the best place to stick ourselves in the water. 

So, here is  my challenge to you. Go ahead, and stick your toes in the sand. Be adventurous. Take risks. I'm warning you, you may get knocked over at the knees. You may be tossed around, and it may hurt. But it will be worth it in the end. There is always something better around the corner, just like Autumn for JGL or the perfect moments when the water brushes your toes just right. It will  And that is the musing of a marvelous me. 

This I Believe

In honor of my English 423 final I am taking today, I would like to share with everyone my anthology writing piece.

This I Believe

            “Is it hard to raise a kid?”

            “I wouldn’t know. My wife takes care of her.”

            “And your wife always has dinner for you when you get home?”

            “Ya.”

            “Wow. Being married sure must have its perks.”

            As that last sentence floated across the partition between my office and their study room, I swear a passerby would have seen steam coming out of my ears. I was incensed, and at the same, saddened, by the conversation I had just overheard between these two men. Part of me could not believe that neither of them understood the real meaning of marriage, especially given their obvious lack of respect for both the mother and the daughter. Another part of me, my feminist side, wanted to jump in and defend both women. I wanted to march over there and ask these two men how they could be so insensitive. I believe in the equity of women and men, and I believe that both sexes should be respected and valued equally. Overhearing conversations like this just continues to demonstrate how far we as a world still have to go.

            I have always been interested in women and women’s studies. Whenever an English professor would assign a critical analysis paper, I would almost always choose to do a feminist critique. Gender relations, definitions, concepts: all of these fascinate me. But it was not until my junior year of college that I began to fully articulate these beliefs. After a culmination of experiences in which I was belittled or discriminated against because I was female, I began to search my soul. Does God love his children equally? Are men and women equally in importance and purpose? I came back from this experience with a resounding answer. Yes. God cares for all his children equally, regardless of gender, race, color, or culture. I realized I needed to pursue Women’s Studies because I wanted to expand my knowledge and work for a world of parity and peace.

            I believe that feminism is essential to the world. I believe that feminism means the pursuit of equality for all people. I know that people misinterpret the word ‘feminism’ daily, thinking it means I want to burn my bra and push men away. When I tell some men that I am a women’s studies minor, they usually smirk and say, “So am I.” That used to drive me crazy. But I now I just ignore it and realize that means they just do not understand the true meaning of feminism. It means loving all people because they are people. It means looking past gender stereotypes and not expecting your wife to have dinner ready when you get home. It means liberating all individuals. I believe in feminism because I believe in the power that comes from respecting all people equally.

National Cookie Day and Hot Chocolate Chats

        So, my amazing professor, Dr. Dean, celebrated her birthday today. I swear she is an English Teaching goddess. Even though it was her special day, she remembered it was also National Cookie Day, and so she brought all of us cookies. Wow, she amazes me. I made monster cookies the other day, and so I came home after a long day of work and school and ate another cookie, just to celebrate one more time. :)

     
        Now, today has felt like one of those never-ending days, and I have just been waiting to come home, put on a comfy sweater, pull my hair up, and drink peppermint hot chocolate. I talked my roommate into sharing in this essential relaxation, and it was wonderful. We had a marvelous chat about our day while pretending to be the hosts of a chat show. I can't really decide if we are funny enough to host our own show, or if we just think we are funny enough....That sounds like a perfect topic for discussion for our next show! Shout outs go to my beautiful roommate, the Coco-motion, and the Jet-puffed Mallow Bits in the dispensable container.

     Sometimes life can seem overwhelming and chaotic and crazy. But National Cookie Day and hot chocolate chats with your roommate can just really make everything seem a little brighter. And that is the musing of a marvelous me. :)